Honda's China venture recalls over 400,000 cars

BEIJING - A Chinese joint venture with Japanese carmaker Honda will recall more than 400,000 cars in the world's largest auto market because of a problem with a component, China's quality watchdog said Tuesday.

Dongfeng Honda Automobile will begin the recall of its CR-V sport utility vehicles (SUVs) in China on Friday, the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine said in a statement on its website.

The company, which is a 50-50 joint venture between China's Dongfeng Motor Corporation and Honda, offered to inspect the vehicles and change any of the defective components, which were named as "piston rods" for shock absorbers in the statement.

"In extreme circumstances, the piston rods may fracture," it added.

The CR-V model is one of the top 10 selling SUVs in China.

But sales of many Japanese cars in China have been hit over the last year amid a simmering territorial row between Tokyo and Beijing.